DePuy Hips Designed to Restore Your Motion and Reduce Your Pain

DePuy Hip Implants

As you consider hip replacement surgery, you may want to learn more about the hip implants your surgeon may be using. This article will give you an overview of hip replacement implants in general and answer a few of the questions most frequently asked by patients. In addition, you will learn about some of the hip implant stems available from DePuy Orthopaedics, Inc.

Hip Implant Basics

The hip joint consists of two main parts: a ball (femoral head) at the top of your thighbone (femur) that fits into a rounded socket (acetabulum) in your pelvis. The femoral head rotates within the curved surface of the acetabulum (figure 1). In an artificial hip, an acetabular shell replaces the acetabulum. The femoral stem is inserted into the femur and the femoral head (or ball) is fitted inside the acetabulum (figure 2). This connects the leg to the hip and allows for movement.

Figure 1

Figure 2

What is a hip implant made of and how much does it weigh?
While hip implants are made of several different types of materials, the most common are titanium and cobalt chrome. Your surgeon will choose the implant that best fits your lifestyle, anatomy, and other needs. On average, a total hip system (stem, head, shell, and liner) weighs between 1 and 2 pounds, depending on the type of material that is used.

How long does a hip implant last?
This depends upon a number of factors, including lifestyle, activity levels, weight, and other conditions. Your surgeon will discuss these with you. (See below for results from a study of DePuy Hip Systems.)

What makes DePuy different?
DePuy Orthopaedics was the first orthopaedic company in the United States. With more than one million hip replacements from DePuy Orthopaedics in use worldwide, the company has remained a leader in hip replacement for over 40 years.1